Blatter chases strict rules

Sepp Blatter is still hunting a tightening of rules, as he wants to make it harder for players to switch nationality and hopes to only allow five or six players of foreign nationality in each side.

"We are on the edge of where football is going, so the Sydney Congress is very important," Blatter said.

"If the Congress says it does not want these measures then we would have to rewrite our statutes, because football would no longer be able to fulfil the aims of FIFA which include a role to develop the game everywhere.

"I am not convinced that the proposal is against EU law because we are not placing any restrictions on the number of foreign players who sign contracts with the clubs -- just the number who start each game.

"Of course it will eventually lead to a reduction in the number of foreign players signed because of the need to always have six players (in the starting line-up) who are eligible for the national team in that country, but this will come in step-by-step.

"Congress will receive a concrete proposal to start (the quotas) from 2010 with at least four national players on the pitch, going up to five players in 2011 and the full six by 2012.

"I will also ask the Congress for a mandate to take the issue up with the other main political and sporting authorities."